Home cooked vegetarian food recipe - Aubergines & tofu stew

Here is another new vegetarian cooking recipe for our yoga retreats guests here in Langkawi.

Aubergines & Tofu Stew (serve 2-3 people)

2 medium size or 1 large long eggplants or aubergines, rinse and cut into about 3 cm length width way, and then cut into 1-2 cm thick strips. Soak in water for 5-10 minutes, and drained.

2 blocks of firm tofu, cut into 2 cm strips, season with a bit of salt

4-5 tomatoes, chopped coarsely

1 medium size onion, chopped finely

2 small red chillies, remove seeds and sliced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped coarsely

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

A pinch of dried herbs - Rosemary & Thyme

Salt & black pepper to taste

A bit of cooking oil

x x x x x x x x x x x x

Heat up the non-stick wok in medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil.

When the oil is hot, sauté the aubergines until soft. Put aside.

Add another tablespoon of cooking oil into the hot wok, sauté the tofu until lightly browned. Put aside.

Add tiny bit of oil and add in chopped garlic, small red chillies and onion. Stir evenly until the onion well-cooked and fragrant.

Add in the chopped tomatoes in low heat and cover. Stir occasionally until the tomatoes melted. This takes about 10-15 minutes.

Turn the heat to medium and add in the eggplants or aubergines and tofu. Stir evenly. Add a little bit more water if needed, but not too much.

Add salt, black pepper, dried herbs and balsamic vinegar. Stir well and remove from the heat.

Serve hot with rice or bread, or as a snack on its own.

Bon Appétit!

Why create unnecessary conditions or standards to limit ourselves?

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, we create some standards or conditions for ourselves to live up to, for achieving the type of life that we desire, or to be what we want to be.

If we have no attachment towards these standards or conditions that we create for ourselves, then there's no harm for having these conditions or standards as a guideline to live the type of life that we desire, or try to be what we want to be. We do our best to live up to the standard or quality that we want for our life, and be what we want to be. But we are not determined by any of these conditions or standards of living to be who we are, to be confident, happy, meaningful and peaceful, or not.

If we have attachment towards certain conditions and standard of living that we desire, then this will not just generate unnecessary limitation to ourselves, we might also generate unnecessary inconvenience or tension to other people in order to fulfill our demands towards certain conditions or supports to achieve the life that we desire. We'll get unhappy, dissatisfied, disappointed and frustrated towards certain obstacles that obstruct us to achieve the type of life that we desire (the way that we like it to be), and we'll have fear and worry towards losing the conditions or supports that provide the type of life that we desire.

When we generate a demand for achieving certain conditions, or standards, or qualities that we like to have, it does not just depending on oneself to make it available or be practical. It requires many other elements or cooperation from many other people to make the condition to be available.

There are many people in the world who don't have a choice of what type of life and living condition that they would like to have. When we live in an area that is free from war, unrest, violence, hunger, thirst, major natural disasters, and etc, we want to have something more than what the universe has been providing us. We don't just need food, but we want food the way that we like and want. We don't just live life, but we want to live life the way that we like it to be. We don't just wear clothing, we want to wear clothing with particular quality, material, design, colour, style, or brand. We don't just be as we are, we want to be somebody with certain qualities of names and forms, and we want to have certain image and appearance.

We'll get upset and frustrated when we don't get "the type of life" that we desire (the way that we like it to be), if we attached to or are determined by "the type of life" that we desire to be who we are, to be confident, happy, meaningful and peaceful, or not.

Sometimes we think we are simple minded, and we want to live a simple life. But, if we look at ourselves and our behavior, there are many demands about this and that to support "the simple life" that we would like to have. We "desire" a simple lifestyle, but when this simple lifestyle is unavailable the way that we think it should be, we'll get frustrated, unhappy, dissatisfied and disappointed. As we are restricted by our demand towards certain conditions, or standards, or qualities that we want for our lives (It doesn't matter whether it is something simple, or yogic, or organic, or exciting, or adventurous, or luxurious, or spiritual, or peaceful, or happy, or healthy, or quiet, or materialistic, or sensual, or compassionate, and etc.)

Real simplicity is not even about "want to live a simple life", but be free from being conditioned by any desires of wants and don't wants.

We can just live life the best that we can, as we are, in accordance to the reality in the present moment now, without attachment towards the desire of "must have" particular type of lifestyle or living condition the way that we would like it to be.

Be free.

Om shanti.

Introduction, briefing, or orientation before the yoga classes or yoga courses?

Generally, it is normal that in most occasions or courses, whether it is yoga practice, or fitness training, or educational and corporate training, there will be some sorts of introduction, or briefing, or orientation before the course starts, mostly it's about what the course is all about, what to expect from the course, whether it's the course format or structure, or the type of practice or training, or the qualification or affiliation that is related to the course, and the possible results or benefits that they are going to achieve at the end of the course.

If we truly know what yoga practice is about, then all these introduction, briefing or orientation (derived from the worldly idea of names and forms) are irrelevant to what yoga practice is.

Yoga is about training the mind to be free from ignorance and egoism to know the truth of the mind and the perception of names and forms, and be free from identification and attachment. It's about living in the present moment now, be free from the past experiences and future anticipation or speculation. It's about realizing the only existence is in the present moment now, that is full of uncertainties or impermanent changes that are not in the control of "I". It's about training the mind to be in the present moment now confronting with all the uncertainties of life existence, and to rise above the qualities of names and forms that is subject to impermanence.

If we believe in the existence of God, or the creator of the universe, God or the creator of the universe didn't brief us, nor explained to us about life before we came into this world of life existence, to give us some ideas or anticipation towards life experiences. God or the creator of the universe didn't tell us nor inform us about what is going to happen in our life, what are we going to become, how we should act and react, what type of life experience we are going to have, what to expect from this life existence, what are we going to achieve from this life existence, and so on.

We came to this world as we are. We learn as we are. We confront every uncertainty as it is in the present moment now. We learn from our own direct experience of coming in contact with suffering that derived from ignorance, egoism, attachment and expectation, for us to to let go of egoism, attachment, expectation, and to purify and control the mind, to know about the truth and to attain liberation.

As yoga practice is in the present moment now, it's not being prepared before hand in the past, it's not anticipation of the future. Confront every moment of existence that is impermanent and non-self, within this present moment with a calm mind that is free from being influenced or determined by the past and the future, free from identification and attachment, free from anticipation, speculation and projection, free from judgment, comparison and expectation.

It's training the mind to let go of the egoism, and perform all actions, practice, duties and responsibilities without attachment towards all these actions and renounce the fruit of actions. It is letting go of expectation towards the result or the fruit of actions or yoga practice, and allow the result or the fruit of actions or yoga practice to be what it is, without attachment, per-conception, projection, or anticipation.

It's training the mind to be in the present moment now, and allow all the uncertainties in the present moment now to be what they are with a calm and liberated mind.

If we apply the similar type of worldly commercial training procedure or technique into conducting any yoga courses, then this is actually going to the opposite direction against the means of yoga practice. It is empowering the ignorance and egoism by strengthening the worldly ideas and attachment, instead of eliminating ignorance and egoism by letting go worldly ideas and attachment.

Om shanti.

The impermanent world and "I"

It doesn't matter whether we realize the truth or not, it makes no difference to the reality. As by realizing the truth doesn't and won't change the reality that the ego doesn't like or doesn't want into something that it likes or wants. The reality will change at its own cause.

Realization of the truth will free our mind from ignorance and be at peace, and change how the mind reacts upon the perception of names and forms, and stop generating impure thoughts, actions and speech that will hurt oneself or others, but it doesn't make other beings in the world to be free from ignorance or be at peace, or stop other beings from generating impure thoughts, actions and speech that will hurt themselves and others.

The liberated mind is free from suffering upon realization of the truth, but this realization of the truth cannot change the world to be free from the law of impermanence, or make other beings be free from suffering and the cause of suffering, ignorance and egoism. Neither by knowing the truth will make the mortal physical body to become immortal and not having to experience changes, decay, old age, sickness and decomposition, or death.

All the liberated beings in the past showed us the truth about this physical body is subject to impermanence even after the mind is liberated. But there was no identification nor attachment towards the impermanent physical body, and hence, the liberated beings were not being affected or determined by the mortal physical body that is subject to impermanence.

As realization of the truth is not about fulfilling the desire that comes from the ego to attain some "supernatural power" to be able to control or change the reality of names and forms to be the way that it likes it to be, or to be getting something that it likes and wants which will make it feels happy, meaningful, or powerful. If this is possible, all the beings in the world are already free from suffering being influenced, or controlled, or changed by all the past liberated beings with their "supernatural power".

Just by being at peace in oneself, being liberated from ignorance and egoism, is the greatest contribution to the world.

Upon realization of the truth, the mind perceives everything as it is. The perception of names and forms is not being contaminated or influenced by any impurities, egoism, ignorance or incorrect thinking and beliefs in the mind. The mind is free from being conditioned or limited by duality. Everything is just being what it is. All the names and forms are neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative, neither happiness nor suffering.

The egoism has faded away, and thus there's no identification as an individual being who attached onto certain qualities of names and forms to be somebody who identifies itself as the doer of actions and the enjoyer of the fruit of actions. There's no "I", or "I am", or "I am this or that".

The mind is free from attachment towards the qualities of names and forms. There's no craving or clinging onto qualities that the mind used to perceive as "good", "positive", or "happiness". There's no aversion towards qualities that the mind used to perceive as "bad", "negative", or "suffering".

Everything that the mind and the body is experiencing about all the perceptions of names and forms, the states of mind, the thinking process, the physical conditions and abilities are merely impermanent transformation of birth and death, unceasingly arising and passing away.

The selfless or egoless mind stands as a witness towards all these selfless transformations of names and forms, without attachment, without association, without identification, without craving or aversion. There's no dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurts, anger, hatred, jealousy, animosity, pride, arrogance, fear and worry.

There's no judgment, comparison, or expectation towards oneself or others.

The selfless mind is being aware of the perceived reality, and allows the reality to be what it is, not necessary the reality has to be what "the egoistic mind" used to like it to be. Without interference towards the perceived reality, or try to control or change the reality that "the egoistic mind" didn't like or disagreed with into something that "the egoistic mind" liked and could agree with.

The selfless mind is aware of the different qualities of names and forms of everything and every being, and allows everything and every being to be what they are, as they are.

The selfless mind is not being affected, or disturbed, or influenced, or determined by all the qualities of names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses.

The liberated beings live in the world as they are (or not, being undetermined by names and forms), being at peace, and perform all their duties and responsibilities towards themselves and others, without attachment or identification towards the actions or the fruit of the actions.

Om shanti.

Transcend egoism, identification, intention, attachment, actions and inactions...

The ultimate liberation is free from suffering that accompany the phenomenal of birth and death, forming and deforming, or names and forms that are subject to impermanence, perceived by the egoistic mind through the function of the physical body, sense organs, and the senses.

Suffering (Of birth, impermanent changes, hunger, thirst, dissatisfaction, separation from the things and beings that we like, come in contact with the things and beings that we don't like, pain, injury, old age, sickness, death) is the natural process of the existence of life, or the function of the body and egoistic mind. When the mind is liberated, free from ignorance and egoism, all these physical impermanent experiences are no longer being perceived as "suffering". There are just being what they are. All these phenomena is neither suffering nor not suffering.

It is when the egoistic mind generates aversion towards names and forms that the mind perceives as "suffering" that actually is what generating suffering. When the mind is free from ignorance and egoism, and realize the truth of names and forms, seeing everything as they are, then the mind will no longer generates aversion towards names and forms that the mind used to perceived as "suffering", and this itself is liberation.

And then there are other mental suffering of impurities that derived from ignorance and egoism, that generates identification and attachment towards qualities of names and forms, such like irritation, frustration, anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, fear, worry, disappointment, doubts, restlessness, possessiveness, pride, arrogance, aggressiveness, animosity, offensiveness, defensiveness, depression, feelings of hurt, and etc. When the mind is liberated, free from ignorance and egoism, all these mental defilement will be disappearing from the mind.

When the mind is still influenced by ignorance and egoism, the circle of birth and death with the existence and function of the body and mind that is subject to impermanence is being perceived as "suffering". When the mind is free from ignorance and egoism, the circle of birth and death or the existence and function of the body and mind is just being what it is. It is neither suffering nor not suffering.

If the mind is not free from ignorance and egoism, the egoistic mind will feel that there is suffering, and it wants to be free from suffering. Then there is the path to transcend suffering.

Life existence of the body and the mind is the product of the elements of fire, wind, water, earth and space, and life experience is fueled or powered by Karma.

Karma derived from actions that are being performed under the influence of egoism with identification, attachment, intention and expectation.

We cannot avoid actions in this life existence for the body and mind to be functioning and surviving, or to maintain the basic needs of this physical body, not to say there are many other things in life that are beyond the basic needs for survival that motivate us to be performing actions, such like, desires of wants and don't wants. One of the characteristics of the egoistic mind is restlessness. It can't sit still in silence, or inaction. It wants to create and express, act and react. It wants to perform actions, or else it gets bored.

Even when we intentionally don't want to perform any actions, don't want to do or say anything, that itself is also an action of "do not want to perform any actions."

Actions bring along the consequences of actions, or in another term, all actions bear the fruit of actions.

Actions and the fruit of actions, or Karma (Which produces the seeds of life) is the fuel that keeps the circle of birth and death going.

If we know how to transcend all actions and the fruit of actions, know what is inaction in actions, we will be free from being bound by actions and the fruit of actions, or Karma, and this will stop fueling the circle of birth and death. The circle of birth and death will come to an end when the existing fuel (Karma) is exhausted.

When there are good or bad actions being generated, it will generate some pleasant or/and unpleasant consequences. And due to the reactions of the egoistic mind towards the pleasant or unpleasant consequences, there will be more actions being generated. And thus good and bad karma are continuously being generated, and the wheel of birth and death keeps rolling.

Whether we will be bound by our actions and the fruit of actions or not, it depends on whether the actions are free from egoism, identification, intention and attachment, or not.

Actions that are free from the influence of egoism, identification, attachment, intention and expectation, are not different from inaction, where there is no Karma (seeds of life) being generated.

When the mind realizes selflessness, there is no "I" perform actions, there is no "fruit of action" to be reaped by "I". All actions are being performed out of compassion without egoism, identification nor attachment.

Just like the elements of fire, wind, water, earth and space. They are performing "actions" ceaselessly, giving, providing and supporting everything in the world to be existing, but these "actions" are not bound by (good or bad) Karma. These actions are not different from inaction, as there's no Karma being generated although there are "actions" being performed. There are pleasant and unpleasant consequences being produced. But the elements are untouched or undetermined by the actions and the consequences of actions.

Everything is enjoying and benefiting from the contribution of the elements to be existing, as well as experiencing decay, destruction, deformation, also resulting from the same elements. But all these actions that brought some constructive and destructive consequences derived from all these elements are free from egoism, identification, intention or attachment.

The sun won't get good karma because everyone is benefiting from the sunlight to be existing, nor will the sun get bad karma because some people suffer skin burnt or skin cancer from excessive sunlight exposure. Nor does the water receives good karma from being one of the essential elements for life existence, nor does the water receives bad karma, when some people lost their lives or belongings through the element of water. All these elements exist for everything else to be existing, without egoism, intention, attachment, identification, discrimination, judgment, comparison, expectation, craving or aversion.

There's no such identification of "I am the doer of actions." nor  "I am giving something." nor "Someone is receiving something from I or being benefited by my actions." nor "I am the enjoyer of the fruit of actions."

And hence in the traditional yoga practice, there is this basic yet most essential teaching about "Eliminate the egoism, be free from identification, attachment, intention, expectation, and renounce the fruit of actions." is the way to ultimate liberation.

And this practice of "Eliminate the egoism, be free from identification, attachment, intention, expectation, and renounce the fruit of actions." has nothing to do with the impermanent and limited physical functions, conditions and abilities to be performing the yoga asana exercises (or not performing any yoga asana exercises at all), nor has anything to do with the impermanent states of the mind, the functions of the mind to perceive, to act and react, the thoughts activities, the intellectual thinking, the behavior patterns, the knowledge, the information, the beliefs, or the impurities that arise and passing away unceasingly in the mind. Above all, all these activities in the mind do not contaminate the true nature of the mind. The mind is just being what it is, it is neither good nor bad, neither pure nor impure.

It is being aware of the actions and reactions of the ego towards all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses, observe and witness all the egoistic activities in the mind without attachment, without association, without identification.

Upon the annihilation of egoism, the mind is free, or liberated. Free from being conditioned by egoism and ignorance, as well as impurities that arise due to egoism and ignorance. As egoism and ignorance is the cause of suffering. It is the ego who acts and reacts, and generates Karma. Due to ignorance, there is wrong identification with the ego as an individual being who is the doer of actions and the enjoyer of the fruit of actions.

When the body is in "good" condition and perform some "good" actions, and the mind is at peace, free from the influence of impurities, it won't make the true nature of the mind become "good", "pure" and "peaceful". When the body is in a "bad" condition and perform some "bad" actions, and the mind is not at peace, being influenced by impurities, it won't make the true nature of the mind become "bad", "impure" and "not peaceful". The true nature of the mind is unaffected, undisturbed, uncontaminated, uninfluenced, or undetermined by all these impermanent qualities of names and forms that is experiencing by the mind through the function of the body, the sense organs and the senses.

The body and the egoistic mind is influenced and determined by the pleasant and unpleasant consequences of the actions of good and bad, but the true nature of the mind is not determined nor contaminated by the good and bad actions as well as the consequences of actions.

When we (the mind) realize our true nature, and stop identifying with the body and the egoism which is not who we really are, we are as free as we are.

When we say, "I am more or less peaceful..." or "I feel or don't feel peace..." by doing or not doing something, or by eating or not eating something, or by experience or not experience something, that is just the impermanent conditional peaceful/peaceless state of the mind that is influenced by the qualities of names and forms. This is not the unconditional peace of the true nature of the mind upon the realization of the truth of who "we" really are, being free from ignorance, egoism, attachment and impurities.

As real peace or unconditional peace is never increase nor decrease. It is beyond the impermanent and limited existence, conditions and functions of the body and the egoistic mind, beyond the thinking and beliefs, beyond the qualities of names and forms, beyond impermanence...

The mind is purifying itself to go beyond the identification with the existence, functions, conditions and abilities of the body and the egoism, go beyond the thinking and beliefs in the mind, go beyond intention and expectation, go beyond attachment towards actions and the fruit of actions. And be free.

We take full responsibility for the consequences of actions, whether pleasant or unpleasant. Without expecting the result either to be the way that we think it should be, or expecting the result not to be something that we think it shouldn't be.

Allow the result, or the fruit of actions to be what it is.

It is the attachment towards the qualities of names and forms, where the egoistic mind generates craving and clinging onto what the mind perceives as "good', "positive", "happiness", and generates aversion towards what the mind perceives as "bad", "negative", "unhappiness" that makes the mind experience restlessness, unpeacefulness, or suffering.

When the mind is free from attachment, there's no craving and aversion, there's no restlessness, unpeacefulness, or suffering.

This is liberation within this present moment through this life existence.

Every single moment there are countless circles of birth and death happening in the body and the mind. All the cells are regenerating and dropping off the body. All the thought waves, thinking and feelings, arising and passing away. At one moment, the body is in certain condition, in another moment it changes to a different condition. At one moment the mind is peaceful and kind, in another moment the mind is disturbed and evil. Which part of the body is "I"? And which state of the mind is "I"? One moment we are in the realm of heaven, and another moment we are in the realm of hell. Countless circles of birth and earth in this present moment. And the stillness beyond the body and the mind, untouched by these circles of birth and death that is conditioned by Karma, is liberation.

If this is not the liberation that you are looking for, then continue in your pursue for what you think is liberation. It's your freedom.

Om shanti.

Worldly knowledge doesn't guarantee peace and compassion, wisdom will...

If worldly knowledge can guarantee us peace and compassion, then all the knowledgeable people on this planet will be peaceful and compassionate. But, it's not necessarily.

It doesn't matter who we think we are, or we think we know about the scientific facts about this and that, or how much knowledge that we attain from reading books and hearing from other people's research and their personal experience, it still doesn't guarantee us peace and compassion, be free from suffering and unhappiness that derived from ignorance, egoism, attachment, and impurities.

Or else, all the geniuses, scientists, mathematicians, doctors, lawyers, psychologists, physiologists, teachers, historians, geographers, engineers, economists, artists, architects, social activists, social workers, philosophers, yoga teachers, religious teachers, environmentalists, ecologists, or any fields that we think we expertise in, will be free from suffering of ignorance, hunger, thirst, changes, old age, decay, sickness, weakness, injuries, pain, death, separation from things and people that we like, come in contact with the things and people that we don't like, anger, hatred, jealousy, fear, worry, doubts, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, agitation, depression, feelings of hurts, pride, arrogance, animosity, offensiveness, defensiveness, insult, humiliation, craving and aversion, and so on.

The stronger we attached to the egoism and qualities of names and forms, the more we think we are smarter or better than other beings, and the more suffering and unhappy we will be, as we will get very impatient, dissatisfied, disappointed, frustrated, irritated, or angry with other beings whom we think and believe as less smart and less good than us.

Same as, being vegetarian or non-vegetarian, or what we eat and don't eat, also doesn't guarantee peace and compassion. Nor does being a yogi, a yoga teacher, a Buddhist, a Hindu, a Christian or any names and forms that we identify ourselves with, will guarantee peace and compassion. Nor does a healthy, fit, strong and flexible physical body will guarantee peace and compassion.

As long as we attach to the egoism and all the qualities of names and forms to be who we are; We think we are good and compassionate people; We think we do many good actions; We think we don't do any bad actions (not intentionally); We attach to our actions and the result, or the fruit of our actions; We expect the world will be the way that we like it to be, or how we think it should be; We expect other people also will be as good as us; We expect cooperation and support from other human beings on this planet to make the world a better place; Then our minds won't be able to be at peace, nor are we compassionate beings as what we think we are.

Unless, our minds are free from ignorance, egoism, attachment and impurities through our personal direct realization of the truth. Being aware of the reality as it is, and able to allow the reality to be what it is, not necessary the way that we like it to be, or the way that we think it should be, based on what our minds believe what things are.

We can do our best. Make good use of the knowledge and talents that we have to be serving ourselves and others, contributing our service to the world, but be free from egoism, identification and attachment towards our actions and renounce the fruit of actions. This will allow us to have peace in oneself, and be truly compassionate towards all beings, including oneself.

Om shanti.

Quote by His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama

"The key to happiness has nothing to do with belief in God, heaven or spirituality. It has to be contentment and affection within oneself."

 - His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama

This is why many religious leaders and fundamentalists (Especially in this country) are fear of their followers to come in contact with the teachings of Buddhism or yoga (In this country, books on Buddhism teachings are not allowed to be sold to, or read by Muslims, and there's Fatwa on yoga), as it contradicts with their teachings about believe in God and go to heaven for attaining Salvation.

But now, on the Internet, everyone can easily come in contact with the teachings of yoga or Buddhism being shared freely and widely on the Internet, which is fantastic and liberating for many who have the chance to come in contact with the teachings of yoga or Buddhism.

Just a simple quote on the teachings of Buddhism can be so liberating for many people.

And it's nothing to do with whether you have a religion or not, nor what type of religion you have, nor what you eat and don't eat, nor what you practice or don't practice, nor what political party that you support, nor any qualities of names and forms that you have and don't have.

Just by being content, accept and love unconditionally towards oneself and others.

Be free from hatred.

May all beings be happy.

If anyone will be hating and angry upon seeing or hearing the teachings that support and promote love and peace in oneself and others, just because those teachings are different from or contradicting with what their mind is being "told" to believe in and what they practice, then obviously there's something "missing" in that "belief" or in what they practice, as it promotes anger and hatred or violence, making oneself so agitated, offended, humiliated, disturbed, violent, and unhappy.

Om shanti.

The mind is not "I", "I" am not the mind...

When we have doubts about life existence, when we are dissatisfied with the limited knowledge about who we are, and we feel tired and disgusted towards the suffering that exists along with the existence of "I" in this world, we might want to find out who we really are, to know about the truth of life existence.

In the present moment, we think and believe that the mind is "I", "I" am this mind, who is perceiving and experiencing all the names and forms through the senses, who thinks, who feels, who believes, who acts and reacts, who sees, who hears, who smells, who tastes, who enjoys or suffers, who behaves good or bad, who is pure or impure, who is positive or negative, who is right or wrong, who is intelligent or unintelligent, who is knowledgeable or not knowledgeable, who desires this or doesn't desire that, who is kind or unkind, who is happy or unhappy, who is peaceful or unpeaceful, who likes this or dislikes that, who agrees or disagrees, who has this or doesn't have that, who feels honored or insulted, who feels grateful or ungrateful, who is high self-esteem or low self-esteem, who looks good or not good, who knows this or doesn't know that, who performs actions and reaps the fruit of actions, and etc.

And the mind, who we think is "I", also identifies with the qualities (the condition, the functions, the abilities and the appearance) of this physical body as "I".

If this mind is "I", then this mind should belonged to "I", and should be in "my" control of how "I" want it to be.

Same as, if this body is also "I", then this body should also belonged to "I", and should also be in "my" control of how "I" want it to be.

"I", who identifies as the mind, only want to experience something that is good, positive and happy, something that I like and agree with, and I don't want to experience anything that is not good, negative and unhappy, or something that I dislike and disagree with. "I", who also identifies as the body, only want to experience something that is good, pleasant and comfortable, something that I like and agree with, and I don't want to experience anything that is not good, unpleasant and discomfortable, or something that I dislike and disagree with.

But, (if "I" does exist) the existence and the functions of this mind and this body is not in the control of "I" at all. As they don't belong to "I". They belong to the nature that provides the energy and elements for this body and this mind to be existing and to be functioning. Without energy, without fire, water, wind, earth and space, this body and this mind cannot and doesn't exist. Same as all the experiences of the mind and the body are also not in the control of "I" at all.

All the mind experiences are not in the control of "I" at all. Good or bad feelings, positive or negative thoughts, happy or unhappy sensations, they all just come and go as they like. They don't ask for the permission from "I" to come into the mind, or for how long they are going to stay in the mind, or when and how they change, or when they leave the mind. When should the mind takes rest or when should it stays awake, is not in the control of "I" at all. All the thoughts, the feelings, the impurities that arising and passing away in the mind are not in the control of "I" at all. All the egoistic reactions of attachment towards the qualities of names and forms, craving and aversion, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, feelings of hurts, pride, arrogance, agitation, depression, anxiety, fear, worry, and etc, are not in the control of "I" at all.

All the physical body experiences are also not in the control of "I" at all. "I" cannot control this physical body or the mind not to experience impermanent changes, nor stop them from experiencing something that "I" don't like and don't want. Every single cell in this physical body and the state of the mind constantly experiencing impermanence, changes, birth and death, arising and passing away, forming and deforming, completely not in the control of "I" at all.

If for prolonged period, there is no food or energy to be continuously feeding the body and the mind (energy depletion), the body and the mind cannot function properly, and eventually they will stop functioning, and stop existing. There's no life, no thinking, no feelings, no perception of names and forms.

This body is subject to impermanence, it will experience changes, growth, decay, old age, weakness, stiffness, injuries, pain, sickness and decomposition/disintegration (death), it doesn't matter how much we try to maintain the good condition of this physical body. This mind is subject to impermanence, it will experience changes, and cannot choose nor control what it wants and doesn't want to perceive or experience, of what it sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches, and thinks.

If this mind and this body (Initially who "I" think "I" am) are not in the control of "I", they don't belong to "I", they are not "I", who am "I" then?

In the beginning, when we inquire "Who am I?", we might be looking at some other "qualities" or "names and forms" (other than the body and the mind), to see or to find out who is the real "I", but this will end up in great disappointment or conclusion-less, as there is no "I" that can be found in any qualities of names and forms.

As long as we think there is an existence of "I" existing as an individual being, or "I" exists as an individual being in this universe to be perceiving and experiencing all the names and forms, and we think we found a "quality" or a "name and form" that we can identify with as who "I" am, thinking and believing that "That" is "I", then this is still an ignorance coming from the egoistic mind identifies with a "quality" that it thinks "that" is who it really is. We (the idea of "I" coming from the thinking mind) are not free yet.

Then we (the mind) realize we were looking at the wrong place, and we start to inquire who we are not (Negate the "qualities' that are not "I").

In the end when we realize who is this "I" (after negating all that who we are not), we (the mind) will know that it is not important at all who we think we are in the present moment, or who is the real "I", as there is no "I".

All these life experiences are just a consequence/product of the function of the body and the mind which has no controlling power at all towards its own existence and functions.

There's no "I" as an individual being existing here to perceive or to experience good or bad qualities, happiness or unhappiness, enjoyment or suffering.

Upon realization of there's no "I", what else in this world belonged to "I"? What is gain and loss? What is happiness and suffering? What is success and failure? What is praise and condemn? What is there to be fear and worry about? What is there to be angry, hate, jealous, upset, unhappy about? What is there to be proud and arrogant about? What is there to be shameful about? Who is there to feel insulted, humiliated, disappointed, dissatisfied, and hurt?

If "I" exists, "I" can only be aware of or witness all these activities and phenomenon in the body and the mind. "I" am beyond existence and non-existence, birth and death, names and forms, qualities, time, space and causation.

And this is liberation, being free from false identifications with "qualities" or "names and forms" that are not "I". Free from the sense of separateness that derived from the existence of "I".

If we still identify with certain names and forms such like "I" am "human or non-human being", "spiritual or non-spiritual being", "good or bad being", "confident or non-confident being", "wise or ignorant being", "compassionate or discompassionate being", "good or bad yogi", "vegetarian or non-vegetarian", "pure or impure being", "happy or unhappy being", "selfish or unselfish being", "enlightened or unenlightened being", "liberated or non-liberated being", then we (the mind) are still within the influence of ignorance of who we really are.

 

There's no "liberated or non-liberated being", as it's merely the selfless mind being free or not free from the influence of ignorance and egoism.

 

Many people like to say and propagate "You are what you eat" and there's nothing wrong with that, as the condition of the body and the state of the mind is influenced very much by the food being consumed, but that is not liberation. It's an acknowledgement/understanding/idea existing under the influence of ignorance and egoism. There is still the identification with the body and the mind identifying as an individual being of what the mind thinks and believes as "I" under the idea of "You are what you eat", while the body and the mind is not "I" at all.

The mind is not me. I am not the mind.
The body is not me. I am not the body.
The energy is not me. I am not the energy.
The elements are not me. I am not the elements.
The thinking, the beliefs, the feelings, the emotions, the sensations are not me. I am not the thinking, the beliefs, the feelings, the emotions, nor the sensations.
The cardio respiratory system, the digestive system, the glands, the hormones, the immune system, the elimination system, the nervous system, the reproductive system, the brains, the memories, the bones, the muscles, the tendons, the ligaments, the connective tissues, the blood, the skin, the hair, the limbs, the sense organs, the senses are not me. I am not the cardio respiratory system, the digestive system, the glands, the hormones, the immune system, the elimination system, the nervous system, the reproductive system, the brains, the memories, the bones, the muscles, the tendons, the ligaments, the connective tissues, the blood, the skin, the hair, the limbs, the sense organs, nor the senses.

Om shanti.

"How to be happy?"

I came across many times with this search word "How to be happy" that bring people to this Be Happy blog.

Instead of asking "How to be happy?", why don't we find out "Why are we not happy?" or "What makes us feel unhappy?"

There is nothing wrong with unhappy feelings. Just like happy feelings, they are impermanent. They arise in the mind, they stay for some time, they change, and they'll disappear from the mind, not in our control at all, and they are not who we are. It's just the egoistic mind reacts towards all the names and forms that it comes in contact with or doesn't come in contact with, based on what it likes and dislikes, agrees and disagrees with, that generates momentary happy or unhappy feelings.

We are looking for happiness, or we want to be happy, it's because we are not happy. If we are not unhappy, we don't need to ask "How to be happy?"

Same as, we need to consult a physician or psychologist, to get some treatments or medicines when the body or the mind is sick. If the body or the mind is not sick, we don't need to consult any physicians or psychologists, to get any treatments or medicines to cure any sickness, as there is none.

If we know the cause of unhappiness, and work on eradicating the cause of unhappiness, there is no need to look for happiness. Naturally we will be happy as we are.

If we don't know why we are not happy or what is the cause of unhappiness, or we haven't eradicate the cause of unhappiness, then even though sometimes we feel happy, it still doesn't stop the egoistic mind to continue to experience unhappiness, which makes the mind restless and dissatisfies unceasingly. Even though we might find "happiness" in certain qualities of names and forms that we like and have, there's no complete satisfaction in the "happiness" that we attained from qualities of names and forms that we like and want, if we have attachment towards these qualities of names and forms that give us the happy feelings. As we will have fear and worry at the same time due to the attachment towards the qualities of names and forms that we like and have, to be happy or satisfied.

We will have fear and worry towards losing these qualities of names and forms that we think what give us happiness, or we have fear and worry that the quality in these names and forms that we like, will change into something that we don't like due the the law of impermanence.

This attachment towards the qualities of names and forms to be happy or unhappy, to feel satisfy or dissatisfy, or to be who we are, is due to ignorance and egoism.

There is nothing wrong with experiencing "unhappiness". It is the aversion towards "unhappiness", or "I don't want to have any unhappy feelings" that makes the mind restless, dissatisfied and unhappy.

"Who is feeling happy or unhappy?"
It is the egoistic mind or the ego that is feeling happy or unhappy.

"Why does the ego feels happy or unhappy?"
Due to ignorance, or not knowing the Truth of names and forms, we think and believe that it is the objects of names and forms that makes us happy or unhappy.

It is not the objects of names and forms that make us happy or not happy. All these objects of names and forms have no intention nor power to make us happy or unhappy. It is the attachment from the ego towards all these qualities of names and forms that it likes and dislikes, agrees and disagrees with, that makes the ego feels happy or unhappy.

It is the identification with the body and the mind to be who we are, and the attachment towards what our minds believe what things are, labeling and categorizing all the objects of names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses as "good" or "bad", "positive" or "negative", "right" or "wrong", "happiness" or "unhappiness", that cause us to experience unhappiness.

When the ego comes in contact with the names and forms that it likes and wants, the ego feels happy and satisfied. When the ego doesn't come in contact with the names and forms that it likes and wants, the ego feels unhappy and dissatisfied. When the ego comes in contact with the names and forms that it doesn't like and doesn't want, the ego feels unhappy and dissatisfied. When the ego loses the names and forms that it likes and wants, the ego also feels unhappy and dissatisfied.

It is the attachment of craving and aversion towards what the ego likes and dislikes, wants and doesn't want, based on what the ego believes what things are, that generate pleasant and unpleasant reactions towards names and forms, which then manifest as happy and unhappy feelings (thoughts). All the objects of names and forms are just being what they are, they don't have the quality or intention to be something good or bad, to give us happiness or unhappiness. They cannot make us happy or unhappy.

It is the impurities like anger, hatred, jealousy, fear, worry, agitation, depression, offensiveness, defensiveness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, feelings of hurt, guilt, and etc, that arise in the mind coming from the reaction of the ego towards what it likes and dislikes, that makes the mind to experience restlessness, or unhappiness.

When the mind is free from egoism, attachment, craving or aversion, ignorance, or impurities, that will allow the mind to experience peace, or contentment, it's not necessarily has to be some kind of "happy" or "elevated" sensations or feelings.

"How do we eradicate the cause of unhappiness?"
Letting go of the ego and all the identifications and attachment towards all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses of what it sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches and thinks.

Letting go of attachment towards the restricted and conditioned thinking and beliefs in our own mind. Be open-minded to allow other people to have different thinking, beliefs, points of view, behavior, action, reaction.

Letting go of pride and arrogance about who and what we think we are. Letting go of the thinking, the beliefs, the worldly and spiritual knowledge, experiences and achievements, the actions and inactions, or the impermanent qualities of names and forms that are possessed by this body and mind, that we think that is who we are.

Letting go of judgment, comparison, intention and expectation.

Letting go of the desire to argue, to justify, to complain, to criticize, to condemn, to curse, to gossip, to slander, to mock, to be right, to be self-righteous, to be superior or inferior, to be important, to be meaningful, to be confident, to be somebody, to be perfect, and so on. Do our best in whatever we want and like to do, but what we do doesn't determine who we are, nor does the desire of want to attain something in return be the motivation that motivates us to be doing something.

Letting go of attachment towards the worldly identity or self-image of who we think we are.

Letting go of attachment towards all our actions whether it's for ourselves or for others, and renounce the fruit of actions. Do our best, perform all our duties and responsibilities, and allow the fruit of actions to be what it is, not expecting it to be the way that we like or want it to be, nor being determined or disturbed by the fruit of actions. Unaffected, undisturbed, uninfluenced and undetermined by success and failure, praise and condemn, criticism and compliment.

We need to be aware of the ego and the plays of the ego in our everyday life experiences. Guarding the mind to be free from egoism as much as we can, and starve the ego by stop giving it what it likes and wants. This might not be a pleasant experience as the ego will experience distressed, it will resist and rebel.

Just like when children ask for sweets, they will feel unhappy and cry if they don't get the sweets that they like and want. If we think we love them and want them to be happy, and so we give them the sweets so that they will stop crying or being unhappy, but this will do more harm to them. This is the same as the ego.

We also train the mind to be in the present moment, free the mind from continue being affected, or disturbed, or influenced and determined by the past and the future which don't exist at all in the present moment now. Letting go of the past which is nothing but pleasant and unpleasant experiences and memories that were already gone. Letting go of the future which is nothing but countless imagination, anticipation, speculation and projection about this and that, which don't exist at all. The present moment is the only existence. And this existence is subject to impermanent changes. Due to ignorance, the mind mistaken this phenomenal of impermanence as the existence of "time".

All judgments about what is good and bad, positive and negative, happiness and unhappiness, right and wrong, are subjectively coming from the egoistic mind based on the thinking and beliefs in the mind about what things are. It is not the truth of what things really are.

Just like when we perform the yoga asana poses during our yoga asana practice, when our body can do certain yoga poses, our egoistic mind will judge "It's easy." When our body cannot do certain yoga poses, our egoistic mind will judge "It's difficult." But the yoga asana poses themselves are not easy nor difficult. They are just being what they are. They have no intention nor quality to be something easy or difficult, or to be something good or bad, comfortable or uncomfortable. It is just the personal reactions coming from the body and the mind towards the yoga poses, and generate judgment and comparison of different qualities based on how the egoistic mind perceives and reacts towards the yoga poses subjectively.

While learning and performing the yoga asana poses, the mind is being trained to let go of egoism, let go of the identification with the impermanent condition and abilities of the body, let go of the reactions coming from the ego of craving and aversion towards the different postures and practice, as well as let go of expectation towards the results or the effects of the postures or practice.

The yoga practice is being performed out of compassion, without intention to be attaining something in return, nor expectation towards the fruit of actions to be the way that we like it to be, but allowing the fruit of actions to be what it is. Without egoistic craving and aversion influencing the yoga practice. Without judgment or comparison towards the yoga practice and towards our performance, or the physical condition and abilities to perform the yoga practice.

All these observations will help to starve and eliminate the egoism from the mind. It doesn't matter how long does it takes to eradicated egoism, attachment, ignorance and impurities from the mind, just keep practice, without judgment, comparison or expectation.

Everyone and everything (whether "good" or "bad") is the teacher to be here to help us to see the ego and the reactions of the ego, and to let go of the egoism.

Sometimes even though we know the cause of unhappiness, but due to weak will power, the mind is over-powered by intense attachment of craving and aversion towards the qualities of names and forms, and be over-powered by the egoism and the impurities that accompany the reactions of the egoism towards the qualities of names and forms that it likes and dislikes, wants and doesn't want. If we can free the mind from the influence of the egoism by letting go of attachment of craving and aversion towards the qualities of names and forms that based on what the ego likes and dislikes, wants and doesn't want, then the mind will appear as it is, it is neither pure nor impure, neither happy nor unhappy, neither peaceful nor unpeaceful, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.

The mind is just being what it is, it's nature is identical with the attributeless universal consciousness, that is uncontaminated by the activities or impurities that are projected in the mind. It is neither good nor bad. Neither positive nor negative. Neither enjoying nor suffering. Neither pure nor impure. It is the impurities that arise in the mind due to the reactions of the ego towards what it likes and dislikes, what it agrees and disagrees with, what it wants and doesn't want, that makes the mind appears to be pure or impure, happy or unhappy, peaceful or unpeaceful, satisfied or dissatisfied.

Develop magnanimity, forgiveness, kind and loving thoughts, and let go of animosity, anger, hatred, ill-will or ill thinking. Instead of cursing those whom we think and believe as "bad and evil" to be condemned to hell, or to suffer for their "bad and evil" behavior, we wish them be free from ignorance, and realize wisdom and compassion, peace and happiness.

Why do we want to be unhappy and generate some "bad and evil" thoughts, action and speech, as the result of being affected, or disturbed, or influenced, or determined by other people's behavior that we don't like or disagree with, that we think and believe as "bad and evil" or "wrong", when ourselves didn't do anything "bad and evil" or "wrong"?

Best of luck in your practice towards eradication of the cause of unhappiness. May you get all the helps and guidance that you need along the path of unconditional love and peace.

Om shanti.

Freedom?

When we do something, somebody will get offended and upset because what we do is not something that they like or can agree with. Even when we didn't do anything, somebody also will get offended and upset because they expect us to be doing something that they think we should be doing.

Human beings whose minds are not free from ignorance, egoism, dualism, attachment, impurities such like anger, hatred, jealousy, pride, arrogance, craving, aversion, animosity, offensiveness, defensiveness, feelings of hurt, disappointment, dissatisfaction, fear and worry, are their own greatest enemy, and constantly generate unrest in themselves and in others, whether intentionally or unintentionally, directly or indirectly.

For the sake of our own peace and peace in others, out of our own free will, we perform some sorts of practice or cultivation to control and purify our own minds (not about to control or to purify other people's minds), turn the outgoing mind inward, to develop self-control and self discipline, and observe certain observations, to filter or restrict or minimize the inputs and outputs of the mind, to eliminate ignorance, egoism, dualism, attachment, impurities, anger, hatred, jealousy, pride, arrogance, craving, aversion, animosity, offensiveness, defensiveness, feelings of hurt, disappointment, dissatisfaction, fear and worry. To be free.

Free the mind from ignorance, egoism, dualism, attachment and impurities, transcend this life existence that is conditioned by impermanent qualities of names and forms, have peace in oneself, is the greatest contribution to world peace.

If this is not the freedom that you are looking for, it's fine. Be happy with what you want to achieve in this life existence. It's your freedom.

Om shanti.

Be ourselves, but also be opened, let go of self-righteousness...

If we identified with and attached to certain ideology, ways of thinking, ways of living, ideas, beliefs, actions and reactions to live our life, to be who we are, about how we as "human beings" should behave, but we also expect other people or other living beings in the world to be agree with and live up to the same ideology or beliefs as we do, then we are not just generating affliction and unhappiness (Such like anger, hatred, fear, worry, dissatisfaction, disappointment, feelings of hurt, and etc) in ourselves, but also generating unnecessary conflicts with other people.

Sometimes, or, most of the time, while we are looking for freedom of thinking, action and expression to be what we want to be, we are not aware that we are "violating" other people's or other living beings' freedom of thinking, actions and expression, if ourselves is strongly attached to our own ideology and being self-righteous.

We get offended, feel insulted or humiliated, or feel hurt easily by other people or other living beings who have different ideology than us, who think, behave, act and react differently from us, which is contradicting with our own points of view and beliefs.

We'll get angry and upset easily, hurting ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally, disturbing the equilibrium of the body and mind, as well as we might be hurting other beings, if we don't have awareness and self-control over our own anger, irritation and frustration whenever our egoistic minds come in contact with something (names and forms) that our mind strongly dislike and disagree with, based on what our minds believe what things are, or how things should be like.

And that's where anger and hatred begins, where arguments and clashes begin, where wars and violence begin...

Have our own ideology, be ourselves, as we are, but also be opened, let go of self-righteousness.

Allow and respect other people or other living beings to be what they are, to be different from us... It doesn't mean that we have to agree with other people's thinking and behavior that we cannot agree with, nor are we supporting other people to behave the way that we think is "wrong" or "not right" based on what our minds believe what is right and wrong...

Have peace in ourselves, before we can "expect" or "hope for" peace in the world, if we think we are so right and so good human beings.

Be in harmony with ourselves and with others. Let go of expectation towards other people or other living beings that they should behave in certain ways that our mind can agree with, no matter how "great" we think our ideology is...

Learn how to love unconditionally before we can "expect" or "hope for" peace and harmony in our relationships with anyone.

This is yoga practice.

Om shanti.

Egoism and the identification with qualities of names and forms...

All beings, except those who have gone beyond the egoism and the qualities of names and forms, attach to certain qualities of names and forms to be who we are, or who "I" am.

The one who think "I" am existing, is the ego, which is part of the function of the mind.

Just like all other "normal" human beings, the ego identifies itself with certain qualities of names and forms, such like birth place, family tree, nationality, ethnicity, language, culture, education, talents, career, profession, social status, financial status, relationships, social groups, living area, religion, beliefs, personality, thinking, physical appearance, physical condition, mental condition, and etc as who "I" am.

Because of this worldly identity or worldly self-image being deep rooted with the identification with all these qualities of names and forms as who we are, we are easily being disturbed, determined, upset and angry out of the "normal" reaction of the egoism when some people have some ideas, actions and speech that are being perceived or understood by our egoistic mind as "disrespectful", "disagreeable", "humiliation", "hurtful", "condemn", or "insult" towards these qualities that the ego identifies itself with. The ego feels being disrespected, disagreed, humiliated, hurt, condemned, or insulted by what it perceives or understood as something "negative" and "wrong" about "I", and reacts with anger and hatred.

If we identify ourselves as a "good Chinese woman" or a "Pious Buddhist", or anything that we attach onto to be identified as who we are, then we will be determined or restricted by all these qualities, and be disturbed or influenced by how other people perceive and judge about all these qualities, whether it is about us, or some other Chinese women or Buddhists. If somebody said something not nice about Chinese women or Buddhists, or about anything that we identify ourselves with, the ego will naturally feel so intimidated or offended. Even though what other people think and say is not about us, and it has nothing to do with "who we really are". The proud ego will also get upset and angry with some others who are also identifying with the same qualities as us, who are Chinese women or Buddhists, but they don't behave the way that we think they should be behaving just like us, "good Chinese women" or "Pious Buddhists". The proud ego thinks these "bad Chinese women" or "bad Buddhists" have humiliated or damaged the reputation of "Chinese women" or "Buddhists".

As a "Chinese woman" or "Buddhist", if "I" don't behave like what other people think a "good" Chinese woman or a "pious" Buddhist should behave, we "create" a cause for others to participate in criticism and condemn towards "Chinese women" or "Buddhists". Just like when some people who identify themselves as "Buddhists", but their behavior is being perceived by others as offensive, or disturbing, or disagreeable, or wrong for some other people, then a lot of condemn and criticism from those who feel offended or disagreed with this type of behavior will be directed towards these "Buddhists" and all other "Buddhists". Not to say when we don't think there is anything wrong, or offensive, or disturbing, or disagreeable with our own behavior, but out of different points of view and beliefs, other people are offended, disturbed or disagree with our behavior, and this will irritate, or annoy, or upset our ego as well.

We don't have to attach to the egoistic mind to be who we are, nor the mind should be over-powered by egoism, and attached to certain qualities of names and forms to be somebody or who "I" am.

If "I" identify myself as a writer, "I" will be restricted by all these qualities of names and forms that "I" am identifying with to write. Other people whose minds are restricted by certain qualities of names and forms will also judge about whether I am qualified to write about specific topics or subjects that has very little relation to the qualities that "I" identifying with, as well as restricting what I can write or should write based on what they think "I" am. There is no freedom of idea and expression, as the mind is being restricted to think, to believe, to behave, to act and react in certain ways based on all these qualities of names and forms.

There might be an action of "writing", but there is no "I", no "writer", no "writing"... There will be consequences of the action of "writing", maybe pleasant, maybe unpleasant, or both, but there is no "doer" of action nor "receiver" of the fruit of action.

Be free. This is real freedom of thinking, action and speech, not being limited nor restricted by any qualities of names and forms to think, to act and to express...

Om shanti.

I love yoga?

We think we love yoga.

We love to do yoga asana exercises, as it makes us feel peaceful and calm for some time afterwards.

Our physical body has been gaining some benefits from the yoga asana practice regularly and becomes stronger and more flexible. We can perform some of the yoga asana poses that we couldn't perform in the beginning. We gain certain amount of self-confidence and improving tremendously in overall well-being.

It makes us feel good and look good. Our body and mind feels good.

We attend different types of yoga (asana) classes regularly, we perform our yoga asana practice either at home or at yoga centre, by ourselves or under the teacher's instructions. We also have attended some special yoga courses, or yoga retreats, or yoga festivals here and there.

We call and identify ourselves as "yogi", or "yoga practitioner", or "yoga teacher".

We tell ourselves and the world "I love yoga!"

And yet, in everyday life, we still feel that we need to get rid of or to get away from "something" that we think which makes us feel unhappy, hurt, insulted, humiliated, angry, fear, worry, depressed, disappointed, tired, exhausted or stressed, physically, mentally, emotionally...

We think and feel that we and other people should behave in certain ways, or else we and other people are not good human beings, or we feel dissatisfied and disappointed in ourselves or in others.

We are affected, disturbed, influenced and determined by the qualities of names and forms that possessed by the body and mind. We are affected, disturbed, influenced and determined very much by what the mind perceives through the senses of what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think.

It doesn't matter who we think we are and what we do in life professionally, we attached to all these qualities of names and forms to be who we are, and we don't have self-control over our thoughts, action and speech, but being over-powered by egoism, pride, arrogance, anger, hatred, jealousy, fear, worry, ill-will, animosity, offensiveness, defensiveness, craving and aversion, constantly hurting ourselves and others.

We are disturbed by how we judge about ourselves and how other people judge about us.

We swing back and forth from one extreme to the other extreme, couldn't stay on the middle path.

We read books and study subjects about this and that, and generate like or dislike, agreement or disagreement based on what our mind believes what things are and how things should be like.

Then it doesn't matter we tell ourselves and the world about how much "I love yoga", and do all the yoga things, we are just wandering left and right at the very beginning path of yoga, we haven't make any progression towards yoga...

If we truly practice yoga and love yoga, we let go of identification with qualities of names and forms, let go of the egoism and attachment towards the body and mind, let go of impurities that hurt ourselves and others, let go of the little "I" and "mine-ness", let go of pride and arrogance, let go of the fruit of actions, let go of criticism towards ourselves and others, we love and accept ourselves and others as we are, as they are... And all these have nothing to do with how strong and flexible is our body, how many yoga asana poses we can perform, how perfect is the physical alignment to perform the exercises, how many yoga classes we have been attending, how many certificates we attained, or how much knowledge or information about yoga that we attain from reading and hearing...

When we let go egoism, there’s no “I” or “I love yoga”.

Om shanti.

Selflessness?

Upon the realization of there is no "I", or selflessness in all and everything (on top of the absence of the idea of 'I' and egoism in the mind), there is no identification with any qualities of names and forms, to be proud of or ashamed of, to feel meaningful or meaningless, to be happy or unhappy. There is no fear towards uncertainty, impermanent changes, separation from the things and people whom we love, come in contact with the objects and happenings that our minds believe as "not good", old age, weakness, sickness, death, and etc...

Om shanti.

Undisturbed and uninfluenced by qualities of names and forms is different from being self-centered, stubborn, proud and arrogant...

Sometimes we confuse "what is being undisturbed and uninfluenced by qualities of names and forms" with "being self-centered, stubborn, proud and arrogant towards our own thinking, beliefs and behavior."

The difference between these two things is one is free from egoism, and the other one is derived from egoism.

One is at peace and being compassionate towards oneself and others, while the other one is not necessarily at peace, and is not necessarily being compassionate towards oneself and others.

One is being thoughtful for others without being influenced by others, and will not generate any actions that will intentionally hurt oneself or others. While the other one is being self-centered and unthoughtful for others, and might generate actions that will hurt oneself and others.

One is allowing and respecting others to be different in thinking, beliefs and behavior, while the other one might not allow nor respect others for having different thinking, beliefs and behavior.

Om shanti.

Why not?

Either it is something that is beyond the knowledge of our minds, which our minds have not experienced before, or it is something that our minds dislike and disagree with, and our minds react with "How can it be?!" or "No, It's not possible!" then we reply the mind with this mantra - "Why not?"

Train the mind to be opened towards something that is beyond the mind's knowledge and experiences, or towards names and forms that the mind dislikes and disagrees with.

This doesn't mean that we have to be agreeing with everything, or we are supporting things that our minds believe as bad or wrong. But, it is to free our minds from being disturbed or determined by things that our minds strongly dislike and disagree with, and be at peace, maintaining a balance state of mind.

Only when ourselves is at peace, or the mind is balanced, we can contribute to the world to improve with peace and compassion. Or else we will be generating lots of negativities in ourselves and into the world, when our minds are disturbed and determined by things that our minds dislike and disagree with, and react with actions and speech that will cause further disharmony in oneself and in others.

Om shanti.

Letting go of attachment towards the thinking and beliefs in the mind...

It is not important whether the thinking and beliefs in our minds is true or not true. Or whether other people's thinking and beliefs that is different from our thinking and beliefs, is true or not true. We don't have to attach to any thinking and beliefs to be somebody with certain qualities of names and forms which we think that is who we are.

As the Truth is nothing to do with what type of thinking and beliefs in the mind. The Truth is always there as it is, whether we can see it or not. We see the Truth when the mind is free from attachment towards the qualities of names and forms, and is not influenced by dualism and egoism. We can't see the Truth when the mind is attaching towards the qualities of names and forms, and our thinking and beliefs is being influenced by dualism and egoism.

It is about letting go of attachment towards what our minds or other people's minds think and believe what things are. Allow all the different thinking and beliefs to be existing as they are, without clinging onto any of them to be who we are.

Allow the mind to be opened, to allow all the different thinking and beliefs to be what they are, allow everyone to have different thinking and beliefs from one another, without generate attachment of craving and aversion towards certain type of thinking and beliefs that our minds like and dislike, agree and disagree with.

This will lead to non-judgment, non-comparison and non-expectation. Not comparing ours and others thinking and beliefs that are different from one another. Nor judging other people's thinking and beliefs that are different from us as good or bad. Nor expect other people to change their thinking and beliefs that our minds dislike and disagree with into what our minds like and can agree with.

This is part of the purification process to free the mind from dualism and egoism which is the cause of separateness and afflictions.

Once we realize the Truth, we don't have to play the worldly game of egoism that attached to qualities of names and forms to be who we are, and be free.

Om shanti.

Non-attachment or non-expectation towards the fruit of actions?

Letting go of expectation towards the fruit of actions, is about performing all actions without attachment towards the actions and the fruit of actions, but allowing the fruit of actions to be what it is. This is different from the idea of "After I performed some (good or bad) actions, I do not want to receive anything (good or bad) in return", or "I do not want something in return that is beyond my expectation."

As all actions will definitely bring some pleasant or unpleasant consequences in return, regardless of whether we expect to receive something in return or not, whether we have attachment and expectation towards the fruit of actions or not, or whether the fruit of actions is the way that we think it should be or not. The fruit of actions will be there as it is. It won't become more or less, nor disappear.

Non-attachment and non-expectation towards the actions and the fruit of actions is about being undetermined, unaffected, uninfluenced and undisturbed by the actions and the fruit of actions regardless of whether they are desirable or undesirable, agreeable or disagreeable, and pleasant or unpleasant. Without expectation that everything and everyone has to be in certain way after one has performed certain actions, without expectation that everyone should or shouldn't react in certain way towards one's actions and the fruit of actions. Allowing all and everyone to be what they are, as they are.

Those who know this, they can perform many actions in the world that they think and believe are beneficial for the well-being of the world, if they want, but they are not affected or disturbed by some others or something that they think and believe are damaging the world in certain way.

Om shanti.

All paths lead to liberation when egoism and ignorance is eliminated...

Whether it is Karma Yoga, or Bhakti Yoga, or Jnana Yoga, or Raja Yoga, or any other forms of Yoga, or any types of practice, as long as it leads to the elimination of egoism and ignorance, it will lead to liberation...

Om shanti.

Yoga and world peace...

Yoga exists in the world is for the sake of world peace, as world peace has to start with individual peace and liberation in all beings.

This liberation is not about only come in contact with what we like and want, and not coming in contact with anything that we don't like and don't want. It's also nothing to do with the freedom of expression, movement, thinking, action and speech in the world. It's the liberation from egoism and ignorance.

The world is just being what it is, it is neither peaceful nor not peaceful. It is "us", who we think we are, that are responsible for generating all sorts of impure thoughts, actions and speech through the function of the body and mind, whether intentionally and unintentionally upon oneself and into the world, and thus the world appears as not peaceful. 

 

Impure thoughts, actions and speech are being generated into the world is because our impure minds are not at peace due to egoism and ignorance, where there is attachment towards the qualities of names and forms, and ceaseless reaction being generated towards names and forms that the mind likes and dislikes, agrees and disagrees with. And thus, the mind is constantly under the influence of impurities such like anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, pride, arrogance, intolerance, animosity, offensiveness, defensiveness, craving, aversion, fear and worry, to act and react.

We cannot make the world peaceful, but with everyone attaining certain degrees of purity and peace in oneself, it will manifest more peace and less unrest into the world.

Yoga practice if being practiced sincerely and persistently with correct attitude can allow beings (whether we think we, or other beings are good or evil) to purify the mind, to allow the mind to be free from ignorance and egoism, to transcend birth and death, or the suffering of restless and selfless impermanent changes, by realizing the truth of its own true nature, or realizing the truth of the worldly identification of "I", which doesn't exist at all.

The existence of yoga, its teachings and practice in the world doesn't guarantee peace or liberation to anyone. Just by hearing, reading, memorizing, studying and discussing about yoga, its teachings and practice, also doesn't bring peace and liberation to anyone.

We have to practically practice yoga by applying the teachings of yoga which is eliminating the egoism from our minds in every moment in everyday life, where the perception of names and forms begins, or whenever the mind comes in contact with the objects of names and forms, and having the awareness to stand as a witness towards all these activities in the mind, training the mind not to attach and not to identify with all these perceptions of names and forms, to allow the mind to be free from restlessness, being unaffected, undisturbed, uninfluenced and undetermined by all these perceptions of names and forms, and thus allowing the mind to be able to perceive the truth of everything as it is, not being influenced or contaminated by impurities and ignorance. If the mind is still under the influence of egoism and ignorance, then whatever the mind perceives through the senses will be contaminated by impurities that derived from egoism and ignorance. This hinders the mind to perceive or realize the truth of things as they are.

It is through our own effort and realization of the truth by letting go of egoism and ignorance (the attachment towards the qualities of names and forms) that will bring peace and liberation to the mind.

There is no "I" existing, nor "I am" experiencing happiness or suffering.

It is just the body and mind existing, functioning, perceiving, acting and reacting.

If "I" exists, then "I" should be the master of "myself" (who "I" think "I am"), as well as being the master of this body and mind which allows "I" to be experiencing all these names and forms. They should belong to "I", and they should be in my control on how "I" want them to be. But, this body and this mind is not in the control of "I" at all, as they don't belong to "I" who "I" think "I am existing". Every moment this body and mind is subject to selflessness and impermanence, changing and reacting selflessly, unceasingly. The existence and the function of the body and mind is solely dependent on energy and elements of fire, water, wind, earth and space to be existing and functioning. Without all these supports, there is no life, there is no body, there is no mind, there is no thinking. There's no perception of names and forms, no thinking, no acting and reacting. The "I", or the mind, that perceives, thinks, feels, acts and reacts, is just part of the thinking process of the selfless impermanent function of the mind. There is no existence of who "I" think "I am".

This "I" whom "I" think is existing as who "I" am, who is somebody or an individual that has an identity equipped with certain qualities of names and forms, personality, nationality, ethnicity, culture, gender, age, thinking, beliefs and behavior, who perceives "I" is an individual who is different and separated from other beings, who is either superior or inferior than other beings, who "I" think "I" am the one that thinks, feels, expresses, acts and reacts, enjoys and suffers, is just the mind being functioning powered by energy and elements, influenced by the nature's law of cause and effect, governed by the truth of impermanence and selflessness.

This body and mind will stop functioning and stop existing at its own causation, time and space. "I" who "I" think "I am existing" has no control at all towards the existence and non-existence of this body and mind. As even when the mind "decides" to "kill" itself, and the body stops functioning, that is also the causation for the body and mind to be stop existing according to cause and effect. "I", who think "I am existing", who should be "the master of myself and my body and mind", doesn't have anything to do with this causation for both the existence and non-existence (Or birth and death) of this body and mind.

Practice yoga, not just about getting some physical, mental and emotional benefits for the body and mind from performing the yoga practice, but practice the means of yoga about transcending egoism and ignorance. When the mind is free from egoism and ignorance, and is at peace, there is less a being contributing unrest or unpeacefulness into the world. That is a huge contribution to world peace.

Just by attaining some physical, mental and emotional benefits from regular yoga practice, feeling good about oneself by achieving the qualities that the mind likes and not coming in contact with the qualities that the mind doesn't like, doesn't guarantee peace and liberation for the mind, to be free from suffering that derived from egoism and ignorance.

For example, when we think we are happy because our physical body is having certain qualities that we like, and we will be unhappy when our body is having certain qualities that we don't like, then we don't really know how to love ourselves, as when we are over-powered by intense "love" towards the qualities of this physical body, we actually love our self-image that built on the identification with the qualities of the physical body, but we don't really love our physical body as it is. It's because if we have the desire of "aspiring" to have certain good condition and good looking physical body the way that we like it to be, and we have aversion towards certain qualities or conditions of the physical body that we don't like, we would be doing more harm to the body, as this desire of craving and aversion will generate unnecessary tension into the body system, or even worst, if we feed the body with some unnatural "stuffs" internally and externally, and straining the body by performing some over-loading physical activities, to achieve certain results that we want, or trying to make the physical condition and appearance to be the way that we like it to be.

If our mind is being influenced by egoism and ignorance, and has strong attachment and identification towards its own perceptions, points of view, thinking and beliefs, it will constantly react with dissatisfaction, disappointment, fear, anger and resentment towards names and forms that it doesn't like and disagrees with, based on its own perceptions, points of view, thinking and beliefs.

By reacting towards what our minds believe as "bad" and "evil" happenings in the world with anger and hatred, and act/react out of anger and hatred, cannot make the world to become peaceful, but will only generating more reactions of anger and hatred in the world. Unconditional love or selfless compassion is the means for world peace, by having peace in oneself when we realize selfless compassion, which is the true nature of all living beings and non-living objects.

 

The essence of 'impermanent existence of selfless names and forms' is compassion. Without compassion, nothing exist.

Discrimination of the real and the unreal (the presence of wisdom, or knowing the truth as it is, or the absence of ignorance) brings non-discrimination towards the different qualities of names and forms of what our minds believe and judge as "good and bad", "positive and negative", "happiness and suffering", "right and wrong", "meaningful and meaningless". Compassion is the nature of everything, but it's ignorant to the mind due to the veil of ignorance. It will be unveiled upon the realization of non-duality, non-separateness, attributelessness, namelessness, formlessness. And this is liberation, being free from attachment, identification and the desire of craving and aversion towards what the minds believe and judge as "good and bad", "positive and negative", "happiness and suffering", "right and wrong", "meaningful and meaningless", upon the realization of Selflessness or Compassion.

Om shanti.